Mineral Utilization and Water Metabolism in Buffalo Calves Fed on Roughage Based Diets

Twenty four Nili-Ravi male buffalo calves (7 months; 105 kg b.wt.), divided randomly into three groups of 8 each, were fed on three feeding regimes viz., T1: leguminous fodder and concentrate mixture containing groundnut cake; T2: leguminous fodder and concentrate mixture devoid of oil-cake and containing de-oiled rice bran; T3: cereal fodder and a concentrate mixture containing mustard cake and sunflower cake for 210 days. A metabolism cum mineral balance trial was conducted after 151 days of feeding on 4 animals from each group. The percentage of absorption as well as retention of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were significantly higher in groups T2 and T3 than in group T1. The percentage of absorption as well as retention of iron, zinc and manganese were comparable among the groups whereas those of copper were significantly higher in group T2 than in groups T1 and T3. Nevertheless, intake, absorption and retention of all the minerals in all the 3 groups were positive enough to support normal growth of animals. Average total intake of water from all sources (21.76, 23.62 and 23 kg/day in groups T1, T2 and T3, respectively) as well as average total excretion of water (14.72, 15.68 and 16.78 kg/day respectively) were comparable among the groups and the variation in source of protein did not affect water metabolism In the growing buffaloes.